Instability
by Rin.Inuzuka
Summary: Sasuke is sent to attend a mental health facility for his bipolar disorder. There, he meets a peculiar boy, Naruto, who sudden changes his perspective on life. But, Naruto is in the hospital for a reason; moreso, the research portion as his body is harboring a deadly secret. SasuNaru. Bad summary, better on in first chapter! Rated T for future themes, language, and yaoi
1. Nice to meet ya

_~ For centuries, humans and demons lived amongst one another. Not necessarily peacefully, but in a unique balance. Nine demon kingdoms existed within the human realm, each having its own type and form of demons. The demon rulers, the most powerful of those in the nine kingdoms, would cause chaos within the human world, destroying villages and killing hundreds of people. These attacks on humanity were unpredictable, both in timing and scale. The demon ruler of the ninth kingdom, Kurama, was the last to launch an attack on a human society; the Leaf Village. During Kurama's rein of terror, the leader of the Leaf Village came up with a way to defeat him. Lord Minato Uzumaki sacrificed his own child, his son, in order to banish the demon. Kurama was sealed away inside of the boy, leading to the other eight demon rulers to be sealed within other human vessels. Eighteen years later, some people have attempted to resurrect the demon kingdoms, in order to use them to gain power and destroy those who do not follow in their footsteps. Those with the demons sealed inside of them have fled to several different places, however, some were not as lucky to hide themselves away. Two of these vessels, known as Jinchuriki, have been put away in a dual laboratory and hospital for the mentally ill. But the question remains, are they safe here? ~_

Chapter One

The halls of Konoha Institute were nothing but plain, white walls and white tile floors. No decorations adorned the walls; the only cut into the white were heavy black doors leading to different rooms. Footsteps echoed down the corridor, otherwise, there was silence. A black-haired boy followed behind a woman who was dressed as the walls –in plain white—and a man who appeared to be an elder version of said boy. The woman cleared her throat, peering down at a clipboard that rested in her arms.

"Uchiha Sasuke, this is Konoha Institute. The treatment plan that has been devised for you will be for approximately 4 months, although that timespan is relative to your successes and failures. In other words, the more cooperative you are and the more you try, the sooner you will be out." The woman said, looking at the younger boy over her shoulder. Sasuke was eighteen and recently diagnosed with bipolar II disorder, after having stabbed his father in the leg with a kitchen knife during an argument. The older boy turned to look at Sasuke, their identical onyx eyes meeting.

"Itachi, can you just take me home?" Sasuke grumbled, clearly uninterested in this development in his life.

"No, little brother. When you are able to control yourself, you may return home. Do as Miss Shizune tells you and you will be finished here in record time." The older boy replied. A scowl found its way onto Sasuke's face as they stopped at a set of black double doors. The doors had windows so that outsiders could see in, and lettering on the door read "Common Room". Itachi gave his brother a small smile, placing a hand on his shoulder lightly.

"It is time for me to go, Sasuke. Try to behave yourself." The man spoke gently, squeezing his brother's shoulder before bidding him and Shizune goodbye, and retreating back down the hall. Sasuke balled his hands up in fists at his sides, frustration and anger bubbling up inside of him.

"Alright, Sasuke. This is the Common Room, where all of the patients can come and relax. In this room, you will find games, books, television, and an assortment of other recreational activities. There are certain activities that are off limits unless you have the permission of your therapist, such as art and music. I believe right now the majority of the patients are relaxing in this room, so we are going to head in and introduce you. Okay?" Shizune said calmly, a smile on her face. Sasuke did not reply, simply staring ahead into the room through the windows.

He could see at least five other boys, and three girls gathered on couches in front of the television. They all appeared to be watching a show, chatting to one another periodically. Shizune opened one of the doors, allowing Sasuke to walk in first, with her right behind him. Once inside, he noticed three other people; a white-haired man, another man with a horizontal scar over the bridge of his nose, and a person with long black hair that he could not currently identify as male or female.

"Oh, Shizune! Hello," the white-haired man greeted, though a mask covered his mouth. This seemed to get the attention of those who were watching television, as they had paused their movie and turned to see Shizune come in.

"Hello Kakashi, everyone. We have a new friend joining our group today. This is Sasuke," Shizune motioned her hand toward the boy beside her. A collective "hello" emerged from the group on the couches before they all stood up and headed over to the newcomer.

"Hey," one of the boys said, "my name is Kiba, and I'm here because I have anger issues and PTSD." He finished. Sasuke studied the boy who spoke, noting the red upside-down triangles on his cheeks. His eyes shifted to the next person as they spoke.

"My name is Rock Lee, but you may call me Lee! I have severe ADHD!" he said loudly, almost as if he were proud. This boy Sasuke stared at, unsure of what to think of him. He had a traditional bowl cut and big eyes and was practically bouncing up and down. His attention was drawn away by the next person that spoke.

"Hey man, I'm Shikamaru. I have mild narcolepsy." The next boy spoke slowly, yawning after he finished his sentence. His hair was pulled up into a lazy ponytail and his eyes were half-lidded as if he was about to fall asleep at any second.

"My name is Shino, and I am a disorganized schizophrenic." Sasuke found this boy peculiar. He was relatively quiet, but otherwise seemed completely normal. His hands were in the pockets of the white hoodie he had on, and his eyes were hidden by a pair of sunglasses.

"Hello, I am Neji. I have severe depression." Sasuke observed Neji as well, noticing that his hair was long enough to fall to his waist, and was not tied up in any sort of ponytail or bun. As he stood there, Neji adjusted his hair several times, making Sasuke assume that it usually was more tame. After all the boys introduced themselves, they stepped back a bit to allow the girls their turn.

"Hi, I'm Sakura and I have an eating disorder." A pink haired girl spoke first, a faint blush on her cheeks as she looked away slightly from the newcomer.

"My name is Ino and I have OCD." A blonde spoke next. Sasuke noticed that she repeatedly tapped her fingers against her thighs as she spoke and stopped when she was quiet.

"H-Hello, m-my name is H-Hinata and I have severe a-anxiety and m-mild OCD." The final girl spoke. She had long hair, similar to the other two, but was very fair in her complexion. It was also incredibly difficult to hear her. The white-haired man stepped up to the group, the way his eyes crinkled made Sasuke think he may be smiling behind his mask.

"Now, Sasuke, it is your turn. You see, it is customary here to introduce yourself and tell everyone the reason for you being here. We feel it helps all of you find a friend and feel more at ease with one another." He said, looking straight ahead in to Sasuke's eyes. The Uchiha boy noticed that this man had dichromatic eyes; one was black and the other a somewhat crimson color. After a moment, Sasuke glanced around at each person.

"Sasuke, and I have bipolar II." He grumbled, crossing his arms loosely over his chest.

"Excellent! Now, here is about two hours left of free time before therapy today. Sasuke, you may stay here and get to know the others. I will show you your room after therapy." Shizune spoke up. Before she turned to leave, she pulled several packets out of the pocket of her uniform. Each person that had introduced themselves held out a hand, receiving a packet with their name on it. Shizune handed one to Sasuke as well, smiling.

"What's this?" he questioned, watching the other patients open their packets and take whatever medication was inside.

"It's your meds, dude. Just take 'em." The boy with triangles on his face, Kiba, replied. Sasuke looked down at the packet in his palm, distrust written across his face. He peered up at the others around him, who were all taking their medications in their unique ways; for instance, he noticed Ino tapping each individual pill to her lips three times before taking them, and Hinata seemed to have organized hers by size and color. Sasuke looked back down at his packet, sighing and ripping it open. To his surprise, he only received one pill, whereas the others varied between three and seven. Popping the small pill in his mouth, the black-haired boy jumped when a water bottle was stuck in front of him by the white-haired man, Kakashi. He accepted it and took a sip to swallow his pill.

"Oh my gosh, Kakashi!" Kiba suddenly shouted, bouncing on his heels.

"Yes, Kiba?" Kakashi replied, turning to face the triangle-cheeked boy.

"Today is Friday, right?" he asked, excitement written all over his face. Some of the boys seemed to understand his enthusiasm and also began smiling. Kakashi joking placed a finger on his chin, as if he were thinking incredibly hard.

"Hmm, why, yes I believe it is. And it's about that time isn't it, two hours left?" Kakashi spoke, Sasuke able to tell that he was smiling behind his mask. That is when Sasuke noticed that the man with this horizontal scar was gone, probably having left along with Shizune. A door across the room opened suddenly, footsteps echoing into the room.

"Naruto!" Kiba and Lee shouted excitedly, rushing across the room to greet the three people that had entered. The scarred man was leading two boys, probably about the same age as everyone else, one with golden blond hair and the other with blood red hair.

Watching closely, Sasuke's eyes widened in fascination as he realized why they were walking in a straight line, and very close together. Both of the boys had their hands locked inside of what appeared to be heavy metal boxes. They each had a monitor on one of their ankles, a thick black band.

"Who're they?" Sasuke found himself asking to no one in particular. Kakashi's features softened as he watched the boys have their hand-traps removed by the other man.

"That is Naruto and Gaara. They are what you could call "special cases." But, they shouldn't be a danger to you." Kakashi replied carefully, seeming to have to think of the right words.

"Shouldn't?" Sasuke attempted to clarify, but only received a smile. All of the others that had previously been around Sasuke had slowly migrated over to where Naruto and Gaara were standing, chatting happily amongst themselves.

'_Well I guess I should introduce myself before someone forces me to anyway.'_ Sasuke thought coldly, taking a step forward before freezing. A wave of fire seemed to run through his body, causing him to stop midstep and look up at the group that was standing across the room. Two pairs of eyes were fixated on him; one cerulean and one ice, locking him in place. Heaviness unloaded in Sasuke's body, making movement feel impossible.

Sasuke blinked to clear his head, expecting his body to immediately start moving again, but upon opening his eyes he was taken even more aback. The cerulean eyes that stared at him from across the room were suddenly inches from his. The blond tilted his head, watching as Sasuke regained his composure with a step backward.

"I'm Naruto!" the other boy practically shouted. Sasuke winced at how loud he was, frowning immediately.

"I'm Sasuke." He replied. Naruto stared at him for a long moment, inspecting every inch of Sasuke's face. Sasuke watched as the boy tilted his head again, but to the other side, as if trying to get a complete picture of Sasuke. A huge smile broke out across Naruto's face then, and he stuck out his hand.

"Nice to meet ya!"


	2. Hitch in the Routine

It had been one week since Sasuke arrived at Konoha. To his initial surprise, all of the boys shared a technical room, as did the girls. In the room, there was a small living area with two couches and a table. From that room, there was a total of seven doors to bedrooms, even though there were only six boys including Sasuke. Each boy had their own room that was minimally personalized, and each had the option to lock their door from the inside if they needed privacy. There was an entirely separate room that functioned as their collective washroom; it contained seven shower stalls and sinks; one for each boy. It was very locker room-esque in it's setup, though it was likely that the reason was to easily be able to find one of the boys if need be.

Sasuke also learned that every Friday, two more boys were added to their group for a few hours during leisure time, and these boys were Naruto and Gaara. What he had not learned, however, is what exactly made those two have to be isolated aside from a couple hours a week. A knock on his bedroom door made him sit up from where he lay in his bed, facing the door.

"Come in?" he called, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. The door opened, revealing Kiba on the other side.

"It's time to go eat lunch." He said mildly, to which Sasuke sighed and nodded. That was one thing Sasuke could not decide how he felt about; routine. Every day was the same routine; breakfast, pills, group therapy, leisure time, lunch, pills, individual therapy, activity or leisure time, dinner, pills, curfew. The only day they were allowed anything different was Saturday, and the only difference was there was no therapy on that day. The Uchiha boy glanced over at the mirror hanging on the wall opposite his bed, taking in his appearance briefly. Navy blue t-shirt, black sweatpants, tired face, pale skin, somewhat tamed hair. He shrugged, not feeling like it mattered much anymore. Who was going to be looking at him, aside from the rest of the unstable people in here?

Walking out of his room, he left his door open, not much caring. Most of the boys left their doors open whenever they did anything, except for Shino. Apparently, the voices he hears shout at him to do things, and shutting his door is one of the things he was incredibly adamant about. Sasuke left the collective room with the rest of the boys, walking in a group led by Kakashi toward the dining room. Sasuke also learned the names of the other two people that had been in the room when he first arrived; Iruka was the one with the scar, and the other strange probably man was Orochimaru. Iruka and Kakashi were both therapists, while he was not sure what exactly Orochimaru's role was.

Kakashi opened the door to the dining room, allowing the boys to file in and sit at a table along with the girls, who apparently arrived a bit sooner than them.

"Hey guys," Sakura greeted as she fidgeting uneasily with her hair. Ino sat beside her, rhythmically patting the pink haired girl's back in what appeared to be an attempt to calm her.

"Hey Sakura! Have they gotten your food yet?" Lee shouted, earning a frown from said girl. She shook her head, hugging her stomach.

"No, not yet. But they said they were up-ing my meal plan today." She replied. Several of the boys gave her encouragement, as did Ino and Hinata. The door to the dining room opened then, catching everyone's attention as it had not been long enough for their meals to be here.

"Naruto?" Kiba called out, seeing a familiar blond head pop into the room, followed by a red haired boy.

"Guys! We get to eat with you today!" Naruto announced happily, bouncing up and down as Iruka took the metal blocks off his and Gaara's hands. Sasuke watched them walk over, noticing that Gaara was a bit bigger than Naruto, in both height and mass. He had his arm draped over Naruto's shoulders as they walked, staring straight at Sasuke until they sat down. The blond chose a spot beside Kiba, and the Gaara sat on the other side of Naruto, which happened to be right across from Sasuke.

"So, does this mean you get to stay with us for the entire leisure time also?" Kiba asked excitedly.

"Kiba, please calm yourself. Your energy is exhausting." Neji spoke as he propped his chin up on his fist. Kiba scowled at him, anger in his eyes.

"Shut up Neji, I can be happy that Naruto and Gaara are with us today." He shot back. Neji sighed and frowned, not bothering to reply. Sasuke looked back around the table, noticing that Shikamaru had fallen asleep with his head on Neji's shoulder, Lee was bouncing up and down in his seat, and Shino was mumbling under his breath every now and again. The girls were chatting idly, not paying the new arrivals much attention.

"I did not introduce myself last week. My name is Gaara." The boy in front of Sasuke suddenly spoke. His voice sounded like it had been dragged through sand and was very cautious. Gaara's arm was no longer around Naruto's shoulders, but instead rested along the back of Naruto's chair almost protectively.

"I'm Sasuke. Why are you both here? Everyone else had to tell me, except you two." Sasuke asked, boredom evident in his eyes. Gaara's icy eyes hardened defensively, looking over to ensure that the blond was preoccupied with his friend Kiba.

"Don't worry about it." He replied coldly. Sasuke frowned, feeling irritation rise inside of him.

"That's hardly fair." Sasuke answered, frowning. Gaara growled softly under his breath, eyes narrowing. They stared at each other for a very long moment before Sasuke broke the silence between them.

"You guys crazy or something?" he smirked at his own questions, seeing as it seemed to earn a fair amount of anger from the redhead. It was then that he realized Naruto was looking at him, cerulean eyes almost sad. Neither of them said anything, but instead looking at each other for a moment before Naruto turned back to Kiba and Gaara simply closed his eyes. Sasuke scoffed, rolling his eyes and turning to listen to everyone else's conversations.

The doors opened about ten minutes later, Iruka, Kakashi, and Shizune walking in with several boxed lunches. They handed each one to the designated person, and then proceeded to sit at the far end of the table; about ten chairs away from the teenagers.

"I hate that we have to be supervised while we eat." Shino mumbled, opening his box and meticulously eating one item at a time. Neji shook Shikamaru awake, earning a groan and complaint before the boy lazily began to eat his lunch. Sasuke watched Naruto as he opened his food, trying to figure out why in the world such a normal boy would be in here. The blond lifted a carrot from his box, about to place it in his mouth when he froze suddenly.

"Naruto? You okay, buddy?" Kiba asked quietly, gently placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. Sasuke's eyebrows knitted together, eyeing Naruto curiously. He looked across from him at Gaara, who also appeared to be frozen in place.

"Kakashi!" Ino called across the room, getting the attention of said man, as well as Iruka and Shizune. The masked man stood up from his seat, about to walk over when Naruto abruptly stood up, his chair falling backwards onto the floor. His palms were flat against the table top, sweating running down his face and tears from his eyes. Sasuke watched in mild horror as the blond clutched his shirt over his chest and covered his mouth with his free hand.

"Naruto, are you alright?" Kakashi rushed over, placing a hand on Naruto's back. All eyes were on them, except Gaara, who still had not moved. The second Kakashi's hand contacted his back, Naruto vomited, though it was not bile, but thick blood that spilled over the table and the floor. Gaara suddenly grabbed his shirt above his heart as well, though his composure seemed to stand strong, with the exception of sweat sliding down his face.

"Shizune! Call Lady Tsunade immediately!" Kakashi shouted, before turning back to Naruto and trying to calm him.

"Everybody, please grab your lunches and come with me!" Iruka ordered loudly, though nobody could move. Everyone was too shocked and uneasy to move. Another mouthful of blood escaped the blond, heavy and fast breaths causing his chest to heave.

"What the fuck-," Sasuke mumbled, his eyes wide with horror and disgust. Kiba shot up from his seat, pacing beside the table and trying not to look at the blood that was pooling on the floor. Ino and Hinata had nervously gotten up prior to Iruka's order, standing behind Shizune, who was on the phone frantically trying to explain the situation to someone.

"Kokuo," Naruto choked out, doubling over more until his forehead hit the table.

"Kokuo?" Kakashi asked, bringing his other hand to Naruto's arm to help him up. In that instance, the blond looked up at the white-haired man, eyes burning a crimson color that was definitely not there before. A growl escaped Naruto's chest, causing Kakashi to release his hold on the boy.

"**Kokuo is dead**," the growl came out as words, though not a voice that belonged to Naruto. At least, not as far as the others were fully aware. At the sound of his voice, every person at the table immediately stood, backing away to allow space and to figure out what was happening. Gaara's eyes, now a golden color, narrowed in rage.

The door burst open not even a minute later, and a blonde woman sped in, carrying two syringes with her. She handed one to Kakashi quickly, moving next to Gaara in order to administer the shot. Sasuke continued to watch, feeling a thickness fill the room as well as intense warmth. Naruto looked up at him, crimson eyes meeting onyx. The expression on Naruto's face, it was not one that Sasuke had seen before. His lips were outlined in black, as well as his eyes. His scowl showed sharp teeth, like that of a predatory animal.

Just as quickly as it happened, it seemed to pass. Both Naruto and Gaara's expressions faded to normal, and then to unconsciousness as they fell asleep with the help of what-ever liquid was housed in the syringes.

"Take them to their room, quickly. Everybody, we are going to have a group therapy session in five minutes. Try to calm down, you're safe." The blonde lady said calmly, watching Iruka and Kakashi carry Naruto and Gaara, respectively, out of the room.

Sasuke's mind raced, his hands shaking at his sides. This was not the routine he was getting used to. How could Itachi have left him here? How could he have left him in a place with _monsters_?


	3. Votes and Volts

At the back of the Common Room was a large open area that consisted of a plush carpet, and several different seating items; beanbag chairs, normal chairs, yoga balls, and pillows of various sizes and textures. The nine individuals who had witnessed the commotion during lunch all sat on the carpet, each person having their own preference for what to sit on. Sasuke chose a black beanbag chair, liking the comforting feeling of it holding him in place.

The blonde woman that had announced this sudden group therapy sat in a regular chair at one end of the carpet, facing the group as they got comfortable. Her lips were pressed into a tight line, eyes cast down as if deep in thought. For a moment, no one spoke or moved, except for Kiba who was rocking himself forward and back on a yoga ball, hugging himself tightly.

"Alright, welcome to Group. Today is going to be a little bit different, we are going to discuss some very important things. My name is Tsunade, and I am the director of the hospital section of Konoha." The woman spoke, making eye contact with each person in front of her. Mumbled hellos came from the teenagers. Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest, not much caring at all for this therapy session.

"What are we talking about?" Lee asked, enthusiastically bouncing on the yoga ball he sat on.

"We need to all discuss Naruto and Gaara. After today, I no longer feel that it is fair to withhold information from you all. On that note, I want to make sure everyone is comfortable with them returning to be with the group for a couple of hours tomorrow." Tsunade spoke calmly, watching the reactions of the kids in front of her. Everyone exchanged looks of unease, however, Sasuke continued to stare at the director of the hospital. His black gaze unwavering, even as she glanced over at him. He may have been afraid during the whole situation, but he was calm now.

"Before you guys make a decision, let me explain about them." She sighed heavily before continuing, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs.

"Eighteen years ago, nine demon rulers were sealed away in human vessels. These demons had previously caused complete chaos around the world, which I'm sure many of you learned about in school. The people who house these demons, called Jinchuriki, are somewhat powerless against the things that live within them. Many, if not all, of them have been seen having minor transformations, where their bodies begin to morph into the demon's form." Tsunade explained, allowing the information to sink in briefly before continuing.

"Naruto was the youngest person to become the vessel of a demon, in fact, this has been with him since his birth. Gaara was the second youngest at five years old. They have been here since their demons were sealed inside of them, and we have been going through testing to see if we can control their outbursts. However, as you all saw, it is incredibly unpredictable. However, we have found a drug that can sedate the demons." She finished speaking then, giving one final glance around the room.

"Who now feels they would like to vote on Naruto and Gaara returning tomorrow?" Tsunade asked, not expecting the response. Kiba's hand shot up in the air, immediately grabbing the woman's attention.

"I want them to come back." He said firmly, although he was still rocking.

"Oh? And why is that?" she inquired, curiosity in her eyes. Kiba put his hand down, straightening his back as if to seem more confident.

"Because it's not fair to take away their free time. And Naruto is my best friend, I don't care if he's a Chin-churr.. Jin-cho.." Kiba faltered, embarrassment on his face.

"Jinchuriki," Neji provided, chuckling softly at Kiba huffing in even deeper embarrassment.

"Know it all.. But Anyway, let them come back!" the brunette finished, crossing his arms defiantly.

"Alright, any other yes votes?" she asked. A smile tugged at her lips at the response; nine votes for allowing the boys back.

'_Amazingly, the one that suffers with PTSD decided to allow them back, after what he saw. And no one disagreed. Naruto is a lucky kid.'_ Tsunade thought as she let the smile widen on her face.

xXxXxXxXx

The floor was cold underneath Naruto, causing his muscles to feel stiff and uncomfortable. He groaned and blinked his eyes open, a dizzy fog clouding his vision. It was quiet, he noticed, no sound coming from anything except his own body attempting to move. The blond placed his palms flat on the ground, pushing his aching body slowly to a seated position.

"Oh, you're awake. How are you feeling?" a smooth voice drifted to Naruto's ears, causing him to immediately try to stand all the way up. Something, however, hindered him enough to drag his body back to the floor. The sound of metal caught his attention, and he sat up on his knees, which was a high as he could go. Chains held his arms down, attached securely to the floor. Panic caused his heart to race, his chest hurting already from vomiting earlier.

"Gaara," he choked out, realizing painfully that his throat was raw and dry. The person who spoke chuckled, and Naruto heard footsteps drawing closer to him.

"Gaara is in your room. Today is your day, don't you remember, fox?" the man said, his voice like silk. The fog that clouded Naruto's vision was slowly clearing, enough for him to understand where he was. He was in one of the areas of the laboratory portion of Konoha. He was with Orochimaru, and it was _his_ turn. _His _turn for the tests and experiments.

"I don't want to," the blond croaked out, ragged coughs ripping through his chest after. A finger under his chin sent a shiver down Naruto's spine as he was made to look up. Blue eyes met serpentine gold as Orochimaru stood over him.

"Now, now, the more cooperative you are, the sooner it will end. Today we are going to test your pain tolerance before Kurama starts to come out." Dread and fear washed over Naruto, and he began to pull against his restraints.

"No, please," he coughed, eyes pleading. Orochimaru smiled wickedly, holding an instrument in his hands that appeared to be a grey box.

"Hold still," he chided. Naruto struggled anxiously against the chains around his wrists. Suddenly, small pricked of pain littered his torso and back. He counted each one; 25 on his front and 25 on his back. They stung, but it was not the worst pain he had felt before. Opening his eyes, that he did not remember closing, he saw that 50 metal needles were sticking out of his skin, each connected to a wire, that led to the box Orochimaru was holding.

"We are going to start with 1000 volts, and you let me know when Kurama wants to come say hello, hm?" Orochimaru grinned. Using his free hand, he turned a dial that was on the top of the box. For a second, nothing happened, and then suddenly all Naruto could remember was searing _pain_. A scream erupted from him as his entire body convulsed. Each site that was sending electricity ricocheting throughout his body felt like a hot knife in his skin. The pain seemed endless, until it suddenly ceased. Naruto fell forward onto his hands and knees, ragged breaths trying to normalize him as his body buzzed painfully.

"I guess that wasn't enough. Let's keep going, shall we? 2000 volts." Orochimaru sad, in a mockingly sad tone. Tears welled in Naruto's eyes, but he squeezed them shut. He knew it was useless. Orochimaru would have it his way, Kurama would wait until the last minute to come out. From then on, the only sounds in the laboratory were the screams that grew more pained and more silent as time passed, and the growing sounds of electricity crackling in the air.


	4. Don't Fight

Sasuke sat quietly on a couch in the Common Room, lazily watching television with Shikamaru sleeping beside him and Neji sulking in the chair across from him.

"What is the point of being here?" Neji asked randomly, his pale eyes cast down to his lap. Sasuke could see the sadness that was in his eyes, that uncontrollable hopelessness that just drives Neji deeper into the depression he suffers from.

"To get better?" Sasuke replied, looking back to the television. Neji sighed at the response and looked up at the television, leaning back further in his seat.

"Lee, cut it out!" A shout erupted from across the room. Shikamaru woke with a start, sitting up from where he was laying on the couch beside the black-haired boy and peering behind the couch. Sasuke and Neji turned as well, grinning slightly at the sight behind them. Lee was sprinting in circles, at a speed that Sasuke did not even believe was humanly possible. However, he was not only sprinting, he was pestering Kiba, who was caught in the middle of Cyclone Lee.

"Kiba! Join me in enjoying our youth! Run with me and feel the amazing power of prowess flow through you!" Lee shouted back, his energy unrivaled by anything Sasuke had ever witnessed. Kiba growled under his breath, annoyance clear on his face. He abruptly stuck out his foot, which Lee collided with instantly. The bowl-cut boy shrieked in surprise, tumbling forward before hitting the back of the couch with his back.

"I told you to cut it out!" Kiba spat, walking over to Lee with malice in his eyes. The boy that had fallen scrambled to his feet, holding his hands up defensively in front of him.

"But Kiba, you must embrace your youth!" He argued back. The brunette reached a hand out, grabbing Lee's green t-shirt roughly and pulling him closer.

"Shut the fuck up, Lee." He threatened. Sasuke raised his eyebrows in surprise, not having witnessed Kiba's anger until now.

"Kiba, chill out. You're being so loud." Shikamaru drawled, his eyes half lidded. Said boy looked over at the narcoleptic, scowling before shoving his victim back to the couch and stomping away. Lee heaved a sigh of relief, turning to thank Shikamaru.

"Thank you, Shika-," Lee stopped when he looked at Shikamaru, who's eyes were already closed once again. Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned back to the television, which had been changed by Neji to a news channel. There was a photograph of a man on the screen, and a woman was speaking.

"_Han was a 32 year-old man who was found dead yesterday afternoon. Han was the vessel of the demon ruler, Kokuo, however, no sign of Kokuo has been reported_." The woman said.

"Wait, Kokuo?" Neji asked, glancing over at the other boys.

"Naruto said Kokuo was dead, but how could he have known that?" Lee asked, leaning on the back of the couch.

"But wait, the guy is dead. Not necessarily the demon, right?" Sasuke pointed out, causing a silence to fall over them.

The door across the room opened, and four people walked in; Iruka, Naruto, and Gaara followed closely by Kakashi. Sasuke noticed Kiba jog over to greet them as usual, but something was different. Naruto did not speak, he simply stared down at the ground while Gaara replied to everything Kiba was saying. After the blocks were removed from their hands, Sasuke watched Naruto cling to Gaara's arm like a small child would their parent. He was wearing an orange hoodie and black pants, no shoes. Gaara wore a deep red shirt and black pants. Watching for a while, Sasuke looked closer at the blond.

His hair was disheveled and Sasuke could see bandages on his wrists that appeared as if they went further up his arm. As they made their way across the room to wear the television was, Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Naruto. He looked pale, and tired, moving very slowly beside Gaara. He was dragging his feet as he walked, his knees bent slightly more than they normally would be when one is walking. Sasuke noticed a bandage on Naruto's forehead, stuck right in the middle like a giant sticker.

"What happened to your head? Some one knock some normal into you?" Sasuke joked darkly, a mocking smile on his face as they approached. Gaara tucked Naruto behind him, his glare sending nothing but the notion of death to Sasuke as he stared back.

"Do not speak to him that way." Gaara warned through clenched teeth. Behind him, Naruto looked up to see Sasuke, their eyes meeting. Naruto's oceanic eyes were dark blue, underlined by dark black circles that could pass for bruises. The whites of his eyes were bloodshot, as if he had been crying or straining to do something for a long period of time, adding to the exhaustion that graced his face. Sasuke shifted his focus back to Gaara, scoffing lightly.

"Like you could ever tell me what to do." He remarked, before turning his attention back to the television.

"C'mon Naruto, let's go to the art tables." Kiba said softly behind the unfolding scene. He gently took Naruto's arm, guiding him away from Gaara until he held onto Kiba's arm and slowly headed to the tables. Sasuke briefly watched the two go, feeling the tension rise when Naruto left Gaara's side.

"I will not hesitate to kill you. If you pose a threat to him, then you will die." The redhead said fiercely, icy eyes burning with rage. Sasuke frowned, standing up from where he sat and resting one hand casually on his hip.

"Really? Kill me? Ha, I'd like to see you try." He shot back, feeling the anger rising in him. Gaara moved quickly, too quickly for Sasuke to react. In a fraction of a second, the black-haired boy felt something solid collide with his face, sending him stumbling backwards as he held his nose. Once he regained his balance, something in Sasuke snapped. The anger coursed through him, causing his hands to shake as he balled them into fists.

"You're going to pay for that." Sasuke seethed, raising a fist to return the punch that connected with his nose. With a shout of effort, Sasuke put his full weight behind his punch, intending to meet Gaara's face within a few inches. Something else, however, something that was much closer, met his fist instead. Just before contact, a loud "Stop!" echoed through the room but had not been fast enough. Sasuke's hand connected solidly with something hard, it being sent backwards into Gaara, unsteadying him. Blinking before lifting his eyes to meet what he had punched, a small feeling of regret washed over him. Naruto had fallen back into Gaara, who caught him before he fell. Blood soaked the bandage that was on his head, beginning to slide down his face thickly.

"Naruto?" Gaara asked quietly, holding the barely conscious boy close to his chest. Naruto's eyes were dull, blurrily looking over at Sasuke.

"Please… don't fight." His voice came out a hoarse, and raw. Sasuke dropped his arms to his sides, watching the blonde's face carefully. It was then that Sasuke noticed Kakashi and Iruka running toward the group, the altercation having happened quickly and without warning.

"Why?" Gaara asked, his eyes darkening into their demonic gold. "Why shouldn't we?" he growled.

"He doesn't-," Naruto took a strained breath, before his eyes slid closed. "understand," fell from his lips before he was unconscious. Kakashi was beside Sasuke then, a hand firmly on his shoulder. Iruka had run to Naruto, assisting Gaara in lifting him up. Sasuke watched them walk away, seeing Gaara's shoulders tremble as he walked, fighting back the rage he felt stirring in his body.

"Sasuke, I'd like to take you back to your room." Kakashi said flatly, although Sasuke knew it was more of an order than anything. As they walked out, with the other boys watching them in stunned silence, Sasuke tried to understand. What was it that he did not get? Why did Naruto protect Gaara? Why did he feel so _bad_ about hitting him?

xXxXxXxXx Previous Night xXxXxXxXxXx

His wrists were raw and torn up from metal chains holding him. They bled and ached, some areas cut through almost to the bone. Blisters and burns littered his chest and back, making every movement immensely painful. Nothing brought his body comfort enough to sleep. He had been tossed back in his room, like a used toy being tossed into a toy box, at close to 2 o'clock in the morning, and it was now 7 o'clock.

Naruto bent his knees slightly, wincing with a groan of pain that spread across his skin. His knees had been scraped up badly from kneeling on the floor and attempting to get away from his captor. He opened his mouth to take a breath, though his lungs did not wish to cooperate as they refused to fill and empty properly. Many of the breaths he took were shallow and ragged, burning his throat each time. His chest was pounding, heartbeat inconsistent still hours after his test was completed. He could not open his eyes, it hurt too much. He could not identify sounds, it was too hard. Everything was just too much for him. Tears rolled down his face; he was not even sure if he was in his own bed.

Suddenly, a gentle hand was on him, lifting his arms in order to wrap his wrists and the few burns that ran along his upper arms.

"Naruto, I'm so sorry." Gaara's voice was quiet, soft. A small sense of relief filled Naruto, knowing that Gaara was there; his brother was with him. And that meant he would be alright. Gaara always protected him and cared for him.

"**Kurama," **a different voice came from the boy wrapping Naruto's arms. This voice was deeper, though almost on the verge of comical. It was boisterous and tense.

"**Shu,"** the demonic growl came as a sigh from Naruto's lips.

"**Why did you let it get so bad? You're gonna kill him."** Gaara spoke again, though it was truly the voice of Shukaku.

"**He can handle it. My vessel is strong.**"This time, the voice of Kurama entered Gaara's mind, as Naruto was no longer able to move.

"**We must get rid of Orochimaru, we need Naruto alive. We cannot lose another kingdom's ruler." **Shukaku growled, Gaara's hands working a bit faster at the bandaging, now moving on to Naruto's torso.

"**Soon. The Uchiha boy, he can help."** Kurama's deep, rough voice reverberated throughout Gaara's head, causing his body to shiver.

"**Ah, yes. He could be useful. Rest now, Kurama."** Shukaku bid his farewell before Gaara's voice returned.

"Naruto, I will always protect you." He promised, earning the smallest of smiles from the blonde boy.


	5. Midnight Venture

Night had fallen and Sasuke's room was shrouded in darkness. Door closed, he stood in the center of his room, feeling anger creeping into his mind. He paced slowly around his room, clenching and unclenching his fists at his sides.

'_I can't stop thinking about that dobe,'_ he though irritably, ceasing his pacing as he stood in front of his door. Giving one look around his dark room, Sasuke grabbed a black hoodie from his desk beside the door. Pulling it on, he turned the doorknob and quietly walking out into the shared space between all the boy's rooms. Attempting to be as silent as possible, the black-haired boy slowly pulled his door closed. Turning around, he jumped at the sudden realization that there were two pairs of eyes staring at him from the couch.

"Why are you two up? It's like midnight." Sasuke asked, crossing his arms over his chest. The pair on the couch exchanged a look before shrugging.

"I have a hard time sleeping because of my PTSD." Kiba replied, his eyes appearing tired and his face withdrawn.

"The voices." Shino answered next but saying nothing else. The three were quiet for a second before Kiba stood up from the couch.

"What are you doing up?" he asked, sticking his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. Sasuke felt embarrassment wash over him briefly, still feeling the lingering anger in his mind.

"I wanted to go check something." He replied nonchalantly, avoiding direct eye contact with the other boys. Shino stood up from the couch next, standing close beside Kiba as if he were going to whisper something. Sasuke looked between them before deciding to end the conversation by walking to the door that leads to the hallway. A hand was suddenly on his arm, yanking him back.

"What the hell, Kiba?" he growled, yanking his arm back. Kiba frowned, his eyes becoming mildly annoyed.

"We can't leave, it's past curfew. Kakashi, Iruka, and the nurses walk the hospital all night." He shot back. Sasuke shrugged, heading back to the door and resting his hand on the cold doorknob.

"Where are you even planning to go?" Shino spoke, his words slow and deliberate.

"I want to know why Naruto and Gaara are on the opposite side of the hospital." He said plainly, turning the doorknob as he spoke and slowly pulling the door open. Kiba and Shino were beside him then in the doorway, suddenly interested.

"I wanna come too!" Kiba announced, his eyes wide with excitement. Shino simply nodded to agree with what the shorter boy said. Sasuke sighed, rubbing his face with his hands before talking.

"Fine, but you have to be quiet. I'm not going to get in trouble because of you two." He did not even try to argue, knowing that at least with Kiba it was be futile. The three exited their shared room, shutting the door behind them and glancing up and down the hall. The trio made their way toward the Common Room, it being the only place they knew Naruto and Gaara entered through a specific door. Peering in through the windows on the door, Sasuke cursed under his breath.

"Iruka is in here," he whispered, pointing to where the brunette man was sitting in a chair with a lamp on. There was a book in his lap, though his eyes were closed. Shino reached for the door, gently pushing it open while Kiba and Sasuke kept an eye on the sleeping therapist. One creak emitted from the hinges of the door, causing the three to freeze. Kiba took a step forward, looking to make sure Iruka had not been awoken from the sound. Nodding, the shortest boy used his hand to indicate it was okay to go, pointing at the door straight across from them. Sasuke followed the brunette while Shino took great care to shut the door.

"Shut the door, Shino. Shut it behind you." He mumbled to himself quietly, a small chuckle coming from him after he closed it completely. Sasuke turned, silently shushing the other boy. Kiba reached the other door first, a scowl on his face. Sasuke and Shino joined him, though Kiba apparently discovered that the door was locked. He made a motion with his hand that looked like he was putting something up to a black box on the wall that had a red light that was flashing.

'Card key?' Sasuke mouthed, earning a nod from his accomplice. Frowning, Sasuke's eyes scanned the room, landing on Iruka with disdain. He pointed at Iruka, then to himself, indicating that he would retrieve the card while Shino and Kiba kept watch. They all nodded in agreement, watching the newest of the group silently stalk toward Iruka. When he reached his target, Sasuke looked him over before attempting to touch him, hoping he would be lucky, and the card would be somewhere easily accessible. He noticed a clip on the sleeping man's belt loop, holding something that was in his pocket.

'_Of course, it's a freaking mental hospital. Can't make it easy.' _He scowled, frustration filling him. Slowly, Sasuke reached just the clip, unfastening it without touching the man. Very gently he tugged on the clip, watching a slim white card being extracted from Iruka's pocket. Once he got it, he quickly returned to where Kiba and Shino waited anxiously. Letting out a deep sigh, Sasuke realized that he had been holding his breath, and that his heart was beginning to race. He held the card up to the box, which caused the light to flash green instead of red. Kiba opened the door, pulling it open and allowing Sasuke and Shino to walk inside first.

The door was heavy, much heavier than the other doors in the hospital. Kiba guided it shut, though could not stop it from clicking locked. Peering through the small window on the door, they all collectively relaxed as Iruka was still asleep.

"Alright, now where?" Kiba asked, as the three stood in a three-way hallway intersection. To the left, the hall was lined with several doors, to the right there were very few larger doors, and straight ahead was a basic hallway that led through another set of doors into what was probably another hall.

"Let's go to the right first, and then just go from there." Sasuke replied quietly. They turned and headed down the decided hallway, stopping when they reached the first set of double doors. Able to see in through two small windows, confusion graced the three boys. They were looking into a very large room that had many steel appliances, mostly resembling medical equipment.

"I mean, it _is_ a hospital, right?" Kiba tried to make sense of the room.

"Yes, it is. But, why would this be behind a locked door?" Shino questioned, before continuing to the next door. Sasuke followed, Kiba beside him. They looked into the second room then, and it was very similar to the first. This one was probably just as large, containing an assortment of steel medical appliances. However, this room had a section toward the back the piqued Sasuke's interest.

"What's that, back there?" he nodded toward where the white tile floor ended in the room and gave way to grey concrete. There were two blocked on the floor that had a metal ring attached to them. Attached to the rings were chains that were just on the ground, the ends of which appeared to resemble handcuffs. The floor in that area was much darker than the rest of the grey concreted floor. It had dark splattered as well as white marks that looked like claw marks littering the floor. Whatever they used that for, it was obviously not tolerated well by whatever was trapped.

"Why would _that _kind of stuff be in a mental hospital?" Shino asked this time, arms crossed over his chest in thought. Deciding not to continue down this hallway, the three went back to where they had originally entered and decided to take the straight hallway. Sasuke grabbed the card key from his pocket, using it to unlock the double doors that did not lead to another hallway, but a very large room that was like the Common Room.

This room was almost completely empty, except for a couple chairs that were arranged in a circle in the center of the room. The boys walked through the room, heading to the only door that was there aside from the one they entered through. Fascinated, Sasuke felt his heart pick up speed as he became more excited about this adventure. The anger that he had felt was giving way to restless enthusiasm. Using the card, he unlocked the door in front of them. As Shino pulled the door open, a sound echoed from the opposite end of the room; that sound of the door unlocking. Panic immediately spread through the three boys. They rushed through the door and pulled it shut, slowing at the last second to ensure it would be a silent escape. From through the small window, the boys saw a man enter the big room. His black hair flowed down to his waist, and his skin matched the rest of the hospital; pale and white.

"Shit, Orochimaru is coming. If he catches us here, we're done for." Kiba cursed, anxiously running his hands through his hair.

"He's not going to catch us. Quick, let's go down the hall and into the room at the end." Sasuke pointed to the very last door in the hallway. Shino and Kiba nodded, following behind the black-haired boy quickly. It felt like an eternity before the reached the door, opening it with the card. As with the last door, they heard the previous one unlocked as they quickly entered this new door. At that moment, the boys realized that they had not had time to check inside the room before they entered. Turning with their backs against the door, they were met with a furious, ice-blue gaze.

"What are you doing here?" the redhead that stood across from them demanded. He was standing beside one of the two beds in the room, appearing as if he had been doing something for the person that laid in that bed.

"We, uh," Kiba faltered, uneasy around Gaara. Said boy growled under his breath, his eyes narrowing further.

"Gaara, who's here?" a small voice came from the bed. Sasuke looked over, noticing a familiar mop of messy blonde hair. The boy that was laying down slowly pushed himself to sit up, his body clearly straining to move. Sasuke's mouth dropped open slightly, Kiba bringing his hands up to cover his mouth and Shino looking away; Naruto was not wearing a shirt, only a pair of black sweatpants. Sasuke and Kiba could not help but stare at the other boy's body.

He was a relatively well-built boy, defined muscle beneath his naturally tanned skin. But all over the surface of his skin there were scars, bruises, blisters, burns; you name the injury and it was probably visible across his body. Burn marked and blisters littered his chest, some of his skin even charred black. Various scars ran along his sides and his stomach, though there was one area that remained untouched. A black spiral design appeared tattooed on his abdomen, surrounded by an intricate design and some kanji lettering. Sasuke looked at Naruto's face; the bandage gone from his head but a scabbed over gash now visible.

'_That's where I hit him,' _Sasuke's mind raced. Naruto gave them a small, weak smile before slowly grabbing a white shirt from his bed and putting it on, with Gaara's assistance.

"What…What happened to you, Naruto?" Kiba asked, tears in his eyes. Naruto grabbed Gaara's arm, pulling himself to stand up with a grunt of pain.

"Nothing, Kiba, I'm fine. Why are you here?" he asked, leaning heavily on the redhead beside him.

"We wanted to know why you guys are here, and not with us." Shino spoke then, turning back to look at the blonde. The two Jinchuriki looked at one another, almost as if conversing silently.

Suddenly, Gaara pushed Naruto behind him and glared at the door.

"You need to hide." Gaara's voice was low, eyes fading into their demonic gold.

"Under the beds," Naruto instructed. A click from with other side of the door gave the three trespassers an idea of what was happening; Orochimaru had been heading to this room as well.

Sasuke and Shino dove beneath Naruto's bed, the covers pulled over the side in order to hide them. Kiba run under Gaara's bed, pulling the blanket down as well. The three held their breath, listening as the door opened.

"Ah, I see you were expecting me. And Shukaku is already here to say hello? How nice." Orochimaru chuckled.

"Naruto is not going again." Gaara's voice was fierce, the sandy tone it normally held was gone. Orochimaru laughed, and the three hidden teenagers heard his footsteps. From what Sasuke could hear, it sounded like the long-haired man was getting closer to Gaara and Naruto.

"It's your night, Gaara. Come," Orochimaru replied. He footsteps now sounded as if they were retreating, accompanied by what Sasuke assumed was Gaara's footsteps.

"**Gaara," **a new voice spoke. This voice was low and firm, holding growling tone.

"I will be fine, Kurama. Behave yourself." The sandy voice replied. As the door opened and closed, the three that were hiding came out from where they were.

"Naruto-," Kiba started, walking toward his friend.

"**No, Naruto is not my name." **the snarling voice replied, sounding offended. The blonde boy turned to face the other three, his eyes a deep shade of red.

"Who are you, then?" Sasuke demanded. Naruto laughed, a harsh and echoing laugh. Red eyes met black, Naruto placing a hand on his hip.

"**My name is Kurama. I've been waiting to meet you, Sasuke Uchiha." **A dangerously low reply came, a grin spreading inhumanly across Naruto's face, revealing teeth that looked as if they would belong to a canine.

"How do you know my name?" Sasuke asked, earning confused and startled looks from Kiba and Shino who stood, speechless, behind Sasuke. Kurama took a few steps closer, moving much more fluidly than Naruto had. He stopped inches from Sasuke, their noses an inch away from each other.

"**How's Itachi and Obito?" **he asked and tilted his head, the grin still glued to his face. Sasuke's eyes widened, his heart pounding in his chest. A small laugh burst from Naruto before his eyes changed. It looked as if someone lifted a red cloth from atop something blue, as the red in his eyes seemed to be pulled away. The smile faded, and exhaustion caused Naruto's face to drop.

"Sorry," Naruto mumbled, stumbling forward slightly into Sasuke, who instinctively caught him. Kiba and Shino stared, even Sasuke stared at the boy that had fallen into his arms.

"What do we do?" Kiba asked, his eyes wide and hands shaking.

"Lay him in his bed, and when he wakes up maybe we can talk to him." Shino suggested. The three boys gently laid the blonde down, standing beside the bed and looking down at him.

"I don't understand what's happening, but something definitely isn't right." Sasuke commented, earning nods of agreement from Kiba and Shino.

'_Something isn't right. How does he know Itachi and Obito? Who exactly is Kurama, other than a demon?' _Sasuke's thoughts flew around his head, but now all he could do was either wait for Naruto to wake up, or wait for Gaara to return from wherever Orochimaru took him.


	6. Do Not Touch Him

_Everything was dark, everything was pain. Naruto opened his eyes, met with darkness that was dimly lit by red-orange light. The floor beneath him was covered in a thin layer of water that reached up to his ears. The blisters and burns on his back and torso seared with stinging pain, but Naruto found it hard to move. He was exhausted, his human body trying to keep up with the healing rate of Kurama's demon spirit. _

"_**Kit,"**__ a deep voice called, softly. Naruto felt warmth growing around him, something lifting his head from the water, then his body. Replacing the cold wet floor was something warm and soft, something that felt like fur. Naruto turned his head, able to see the figure of the demon his body housed laying behind bars, as if imprisoned. He realized that what he was now laying on was one of Kurama's tails, being brought gently over to the bars._

"_Kurama?" the blonde asked, his vision blurred from the pain. Kurama's eyes were locked on Naruto, his red furred face holding concern._

"_**You need to wake up." **__Kurama stated, watching as Naruto gingerly sat up. They watched each other, Naruto directly in front of his demon fox, on the outside of the bars. He reached a hand out, placing it softly on Kurama's snout and stroking his soft coat._

"_I'd like to stay with you, for now." He replied, enjoying the calming presence of the creature that had been with him since he was born._

"_**No, you must speak with the others. But, if you break my seal," **__Kurama spoke, his growling voice filling the room. __**"I can be closer to you. We can be one." **_

"_You know I can't, Kurama." Naruto responded, unhappily. Kurama snorted, turning away from the blonde. Naruto gently patted Kurama's cheek before a jolt through his body turned everything black once more._

Naruto woke with a start, sitting up part way before the pain in his body shot through him and forced him back down. He was met with three pairs of eyes, watching him closely.

"Are you okay, Naruto?" Kiba asked quietly, taking a tentative step closer to his friend.

"Tired," Naruto mumbled, his eyes falling shut again. He felt someone touch his forehead with a couple fingers, making him open his eyes again. Sasuke stood over him, inspecting the gash on his forehead.

"That wasn't from you." Naruto said, eyes soft and not accusing in any way.

"What happened? Why are you here? And what is this place?" Shino suddenly babbled, starting to pace and talk more quietly to himself. Sasuke watched him briefly, realizing that the medication he took before bed was probably now wearing off.

"You don't need to worry about us." Naruto replied. Angry black eyes stared down at him after he spoke, a scowl on Sasuke's face.

"We are worried. Now, tell us what's going on. What is this place?" he demanded, subconsciously placing a cool hand on Naruto's warmer one. A small sigh escaped the blonde, shifting uncomfortably before attempting to sit up. Sasuke gripped his hand and pulled him gently until he was upright, watching the pained expression on his face. Naruto reached behind him to tug the collar of his shirt over his head, feeling another set of hands aid him and pulling it off. Kiba gave him a sad smile, gently laying the shirt down on the bed. Shino froze as he paced, inspecting Naruto's back and chest from afar.

"Dirty, so dirty! Did you clean those?" he asked, a bit loudly.

"Yes, Shino, Gaara has been cleaning them." He replied, crossing his legs on the bed to sit Indian style. Sasuke sat beside him hesitantly, Kiba and Shino choosing to stand.

"This place," Naruto started, "Is where I've been raised, Gaara too. Konoha is a mental health hospital, yes, but it's also a laboratory." He finished, eyes already growing tired from the effort of speaking and moving.

"A laboratory?" Kiba asked, tilting his head slightly. Naruto nodded, wincing as pain shot through his head.

"Yeah. They've been doing tests on me and Gaara for years, trying to figure out if they can fully suppress the demons in us, and trying to see if they can control them." The blonde answered, looking up at Sasuke. They watched each other for a moment, Naruto's eyes cautious but curious.

"What exactly are these demons?" Sasuke questioned carefully, watching Naruto's face closely. The blonde looked at him for a moment, then up at Kiba and Shino. Kiba gave him a small, reassuring smile.

"There are nine of us, well," his eyes dropped to his lap. "Now I believe there are eight. But the demons are exactly that, demons that once ruled huge kingdoms and would randomly attack human villages. Each demon has a different number of tails, which indicates it's strength." Naruto explained, looking up again when Shino began to pace.

"So where do you and Gaara rank in the nine?" Kiba asked, crossing his arms over his chest, eyes genuinely curious. Naruto shifted uncomfortably, fussing absentmindedly with his wounds. Sasuke frowned, lifting a hand and gently pulling Naruto's from his injured skin.

"Dobe," he muttered, earning the blonde's attention quickly. They looked at each other for a long moment, Naruto's eyes widening very slightly before he turned his attention back to his general 'audience'.

"Gaara has Shukaku, and he is the one-tail." The Jinchuriki finally said, eyes again downcast when he continued.

"And I have Kurama, the nine-tails." Naruto finished, hesitantly looking at Sasuke from the corner of his eye. Said boy's eyes were wide, his face showing surprise and discomfort.

"What?! Why is he already protecting you if you're stronger?" Kiba shouted, overly excited but also appearing a bit angry. Naruto winced at the volume of his voice, but shrugged slowly.

"That's just Shu and Kurama's dynamic." He offered in a smaller voice. Shino then walked to the door, grabbing the handle and abruptly opening it.

"Have to open the door, have to shut the door." He instructed himself, before closing the door again.

"Shino, stop, someone will hear you!" Sasuke hissed, though not gaining any response from the boy.

"Open, close it behind you." He said again, opening the door, however, it revealed three people this time. Orochimaru smiled, holding a hand against the door to prevent Shino from closing it again.

"Well, did I ever say you were permitted to have friends?" he asked with the smile glued to his face. Sasuke looked at Naruto, seeing fear filling his blue eyes. The blonde got up, pulling Shino away quickly and stepping in front of him.

"Don't touch them. Just let them go back to their rooms, Shino needs his medication." Naruto said firmly, though his hands trembled at his sides. Orochimaru moved to the side slightly, allowing a silver haired man to walk by, carrying a barely conscious Gaara. Naruto's eyes followed them as the silver haired man dumped the redhead onto his bed. Sasuke stood, grabbing Kiba's arm to pull him closer.

"We have to leave, and we have to find Tsunade." He whispered urgently to the triangle-cheeked boy. Kiba nodded in agreement, looking for an opportunity to run.

"You will all be given punishments for not only leaving your rooms, but also trespassing in this part of the hospital." The silver haired man said with a grin, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose.

"Kabuto, would you escort these three to their rooms?" Orochimaru's smile grew, making Naruto stiffen visibly. The blonde backed up, keeping his friends close behind him and away from Orochimaru and Kabuto.

"Do not touch them." Naruto said again, eyes becoming angry. The other two exchanged a look, one of curiosity and malice.

"Naruto, it's okay, we'll just walk back with him. No big deal." Kiba eased, placing a hand on his friends shoulder. Naruto shrugged his hand off, turning his head to look at the three behind him. Crimson eyes met each of his friend's individual gazes.

"He's lying." Naruto growled, his voice beginning to deepen. Orochimaru took a few steps forward, Kabuto holding the door and blocking the doorway. The pale man reached a hand out toward Sasuke first, in what appeared to be an attempt to take his arm and begin leading him away. In a fraction of a second, Naruto's hand shot out and grabbed Orochimaru's, the room growing hot.

"Do not touch him." He growled. Sasuke took a step back, watching carefully but feeling his heart beat faster in his chest. Beginning to form around Naruto was what appeared to be visible energy, flowing around him like hair that was tinged red. It swirled up his body, encasing him completely before the room grew almost unbearably hot.

"Ah, Kurama. Why do you care so much about this boy?" Orochimaru asked slowly, his golden eyes meeting Naruto's. In response, the boy growled harshly, yanking the older man away from his friends. Kabuto moved forward then, no longer blocking the door but going to take Naruto's other arm to make him release Orochimaru.

"Now is our chance," Kiba whispered, earning nods from bother Shino and Sasuke. As they were about to make their escape, something in the room shifted. Heaviness claimed every person's body, as well as the heat. Sasuke began to sweat, looking back at Naruto.

Beginning to cover his body was something that could be described as bubbles of fur. The bubbles were mixed with black and red, quickly covering his body, even his face. Orochimaru and Kabuto released the boy suddenly, quickly stepping back to leave space between them and the demon that was trying to come to the surface.

"Sasuke," a small, grainy voice called, barely heard through the heavy air. The raven looked over to see Gaara watching him, his eyes filling with agony and exhaustion. Sasuke moved slowly over to the boy, leaning down to listen to him.

"Don't let…Kurama overtake him… Stop him," Gaara managed, eyes falling closed.

"Me? I barely even know him, I didn't even know he had Kurama until now!" Sasuke argued, panic settling in his mind. Gaara lifted a hand and lightly touched Sasuke's chest.

"Trust me," he mumbled before his arm fell and he slipped away from consciousness. Sasuke looked up from Gaara's sleeping form to watch Naruto. The boy was completely engulfed in the black and red 'fur', large circles of white light where his eyes were meant to be, and his mouth an outline of that same light. Long, fox-like ears had grown from his head, and four tails swayed around him. He no longer appeared human; he truly looked demonic.

Naruto growled viciously, raising a fist and letting it fly toward Kabuto, said man having barely enough time to move an inch away to avoid the hit.

"Quickly, Kabuto, press the blue button," Orochimaru ordered urgently, nodding to the hallway. As he ran to the door, it was as if Naruto teleported. He had moved so quickly to stand in front of the door, that Kabuto ran directly into him. The boy grabbed the assistant's shirt, raising him up in the air before tossing him at the wall like a bag of garbage. His body slammed hard, causing the wall to crack behind the force.

"Naruto!" Sasuke called out, noticing that at the sound of his name, the boy quickly looked at him. Kiba was standing behind Sasuke, his hands over his ears and tears in his eyes.

"S-Sasuke, we need t-to leave," he whimpered. Sasuke looked back at him, anger raising in him at the fact that something, regardless of what it was, was making Kiba so upset. Shino was pacing beside them, messing with his hands. Naruto made a small sound, something that Sasuke would assume was equivalent to a whimper. He watched the boy slowly sink to the ground, sitting down much like a dog would, tails slowly sweeping back and forth. Orochimaru watched curiously, noting the interaction between the two. Taking the chance, the man reached out and grabbed Naruto by his arm, yanking him up abruptly and reaching for something in his coat pocket.

Naruto struggled, trying to pull his arm back. His tails thrashed wildly, as if attempting to strike his assailant. Sasuke felt his heart drop in his chest as Orochimaru pulled a syringe from his pocket, filled with a dark blue liquid. Acting on instinct, Sasuke ran forward to try and stop what-ever Orochimaru was about to do; but he was too far away. He watched the needle plunge into the junction between Naruto's shoulder and neck, and then be drained quickly. The boy was released, falling to the ground. Eyes wide with panic, Sasuke watched the blonde writhe in pain on the floor, his body spasming from the agony of what-ever was tearing through his body. The 'fur' was receding, and his body was returning to normal, very slowly, but the screams of pain did not diminish. Naruto reached a hand out to the black-haired boy, his face clearing to reveal his eyes. Blue orbs filled with the most intense pain Sasuke had ever seen, stared at him. Tears were running down his face, and Sasuke moved to reach a hand out, until something sharp pricked the skin on his shoulder.

Blackness immediately clouded his vision, and he felt his body fall to the floor as Naruto screamed his name, pain and fear thick in his voice.

xXxXxXxXxXx

Sasuke woke slowly, blurriness making his eyes unable to focus very well. He stared up at a familiar ceiling, something soft under him that he recognized. Turning his head slightly, he saw his bedroom door; he was back in his room.

'_How did I get here? Wait, did I do something last night..?'_ he brought a hand up, mind hazy. Sitting up slowly, he heard a tentative knock on his door before both Kiba and Shino stumbled in.

"What happened last night?" Kiba asked, his voice thick with sleep. Shino did not speak, clearly tired as well.

"I don't really… I don't know, we went to see Naruto and Gaara but then I'm not sure." Sasuke looked down at his hands, trying to piece together what had transpired. With a quick glance at the clock, Sasuke sighed and stood up from bed.

"I have therapy with Kakashi in half an hour,"


	7. AUTHOR NOTE

Hi everyone!

I know this was probably a disappointment to those who follow this story, since it is an author note and not a chapter so I do apologize.

Unfortunately, I will be removing this story sometime today or tomorrow. But do not fear! It is being rewritten and split into 2 separate stories. Thank you everyone who has continued to read this, and I assure everyone that the new stories will be up soon.

Thank you everyone!

-Rin


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